What Is Unitarian Universalism

We call ourselves "the Uncommon Denomination sm." We are indeed
different. We do not require members to subscribe to creeds, ancient or
modern. We do not claim to have all the answers. We accept modern biblical
criticism, which regards the books of the Bible as the writings of men who
often wrote decades or centuries after the events they describe. We do not
regard them as the immutable word of God. We consider the findings of modern
science regarding the origins of man and the universe more credible than the
stories of creation in the book of Genesis.

In our view every person has the right to believe what he sincerely believes
and not to be required to give lip service to the dogmas of any religious
organization. One of the principal purposes of our denomination is to help
one another in the search for truth and meaning. Out of the interchange of
ideas we can grow in understanding of the mystery of life and the best
ways to live it. A person's real religion does not lie in the doctrines
one is told to accept; it lies in the highest values and most sincere
beliefs that rest in the heart.

While we have no required beliefs, we do find a general consensus in the
covenant affirmed by our member congregations:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.

Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth in
our congregations.

A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within
our congregations and society at large.

The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.

Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The Unitarian Universalist denomination constitutes a merger of two
denominations developed in America about the time of the American Revolution.
Unitarianism grew out of the conviction that the doctrine of the Trinity
was unscriptural and that Jesus was not God. Universalism began with the
conviction that all humans would be saved and that God was not so terrible
as to send many if not most to eternal torment in hell.

From these beginnings both denominations grew in wisdom to acceptance of
individual freedom of religious belief. They merged in 1961.

Today Unitarian Universalists draw on many sources of religious and ethical
inspiration. They appreciate the insights of the Hebrew and Christian bibles.
They cherish the words attributed to Jesus of Nazareth and other prophets
and teachers throughout the ages. They also look to the teachings of
Hinduism, Buddhism and other religions. Many find inspiration within our
own Unitarian Universalist heritage: In the call of Ralph Waldo Emerson,
a Unitarian Minister, that we search for religious meaning more within our
own souls than in ancient writings and prophets. Or in the philosophy of
"reverence for life" of the Lutheran/Unitarian Albert Schweitzer.

Unitarian Universalists do not think of their religion as a gateway to an
afterlife. Most are content to "live one life at a time" and
thus to live well on this earth for their own self-fulfillment and for
the progress of humanity. The earth is our home; we must protect it.
All persons are our brothers and sisters; we must relate to them with
love and justice.

As our children are important to us, our congregations maintain schools
of religion. Our purpose is not to indoctrinate. We teach children about
other religions as well as our own and encourage them in their own search
for religious and ethical truth. Above all we seek to give them
experiences that will help them grow into tolerant, morally responsible
citizens.

Throughout the history of our country Unitarian Universalism has been in
the forefront of struggles for human freedom and human rights. The Unitarian
Thomas Jefferson not only wrote the Declaration of Independence but also
originated the phrase "wall of separation between church and
state."" The famous words "of the people, by the people, and
for the people" were taken from a sermon by the great Unitarian
abolitionist preacher, Theodore Parker, whose published sermons
Lincoln kept by his bedside. The marcher killed in Selma, Alabama was the
Unitarian minister James Reeb. Unitarians such as Susan B. Anthony,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone led the campaign for women's rights.
Universalist Olympia Brown was the first woman minister in the
United States. Unitarian Horace Mann is known as the father of American
Public School education. Universalist Clara Barton founded the American
Red Cross. Unitarian Dorothea Dix led the movements for reform of prisons
and treatment of the mentally ill.

In our own day Unitarian Universalists continue to oppose the efforts of
dogmatic religions to impose their ideas on the rest of us. We consider
prayer in public schools divisive and the teaching of creationism as the
subordination of scientific truth to religious myth. We favor a
woman's right to choose. We oppose sectarian displays of the ten
commandments in courts of justice. We favor a just society in which all
are treated equally regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin, sex or
sexual orientation.

The First UU congregation in Florida was founded in 1885 in
Tarpon Springs, FL. 1939 saw the beginning of our Miami
congregation that was quite active in civil rights before this
became popular. In the 1950's, congregations began in Fort
Lauderdale, and North Palm Beach.

In 1999 our most recent community, River of Grass, was born and
became known as one of the fastest growing congregations in our
denomination.